big 4 inspection question

[navsup]

I have a question about the big 4. I have been practicing and my wife has been quizzing me.

Once in a while I mix up small parts of it

If for example in the code of conduct, article one, you say "our country...and our way of life" instead of MY country. is this automatically counted against your points? Im just wondering if missing one word disqualifies the entire article?

or during the 3rd article you switch and say "i will accept neither special favors nor parole" backwards. Do you stop and start over? or start where you messed up?, or go on to the end


These are two examples of getting small areas mixed up that i am trying to fix. Im just wondering what happens if, under the stress, you mix it up.

Also wondering, do they just call out a random article, or general order or number in the chain of command, for you to recite, or do you go all the way down the list?

Also how is the rank structure quizzed? Do they say, "what is an 0-5/e-4 in the Navy/Marine corps? etc... Do you answer with the name or do you desribe all the insignia as well?

Im not looking for all the answers, just a little help and guidance to help prepare. thanks in advance for any advice/experience you can share.

 

[vegita1220]

Disclaimer: Did not go to OCS.

The OCS gunnies may do things differently, but:

When ROTC mids mixed it up but corrected properly it was OK.
What is BAD is when you have a brain freeze and go back to the beginning out of the blue without a "belay my last" or whatever it is and screw it up again...or kinda blank out and freeze/stutter...you get the idea.
For us, the whole point of it was to see how well you did under that stress...and if you screw up, whether or not you can unfvck yourself.

We had random call outs of general orders, etc. Didn't have time to do the whole list...and it's probably harder that way for you as well.
Rank structure...answer the question directly...volunteering more info is another opportunity for you to screw up, or for them to trip you up by popping another Q during your answer...

Being "cool" and bearing always counted for a lot. It helped to practice with someone mean...

Like maybe your wife is asking you where you've been when you come back reeking of alcohol at 5 in the morning...you KNOW the answer but it's different under stress right?

 

[Steve Wilkins]

I have a question about the big 4. I have been practicing and my wife has been quizzing me.

Once in a while I mix up small parts of it

If for example in the code of conduct, article one, you say "our country...and our way of life" instead of MY country. is this automatically counted against your points? Im just wondering if missing one word disqualifies the entire article?

or during the 3rd article you switch and say "i will accept neither special favors nor parole" backwards. Do you stop and start over? or start where you messed up?, or go on to the end


These are two examples of getting small areas mixed up that i am trying to fix. Im just wondering what happens if, under the stress, you mix it up.

Also wondering, do they just call out a random article, or general order or number in the chain of command, for you to recite, or do you go all the way down the list?

Also how is the rank structure quizzed? Do they say, "what is an 0-5/e-4 in the Navy/Marine corps? etc... Do you answer with the name or do you desribe all the insignia as well?

Im not looking for all the answers, just a little help and guidance to help prepare. thanks in advance for any advice/experience you can share.

Let's do an Air Warriors experiment. You try the above and see what happens. Then report back to us what happened, for the benefit of others who go after you.

 

[navsup]

I'm just asking what happens if you mix up a word. If you are stopped immediatly or start over etc...

 

[Steve Wilkins]

I don't know either, but would love to find out. Consider it an intel gathering exercise.

 

[navsup]

I don't know either, but would love to find out. Consider it an intel gathering exercise.

methinks i do not want to be the one to find out the hard way. better just keep studying harder :icon_mi_1

 

[wusappenin]

Verbatim. I've done many a bend and thrust for messing up a word or two. they'll know it word for word.

 

[D_mac05]

Hey, I got an idea!!! For every time you mix it up with your wife, do 25 bends and thrusts...this will better simulate what you soon will be doing over and over again, if you can't get it right. You'll also get some PT out of this exercise.

When you get damn good at them, start reciting the Big 4 WHILE doing Bends and Thrusts...

 

[CavemanOgg]

well, if you screw up you have to ask say something like, "Sir, this candidate requests permission to correct," (It is not that, but something similar) at any rate, the exact phraseology to start over must be memorized and recited verbatim. If you mess up the request to fix your first mess up there is yet another memorized item you must recite to fix the mess up of the mess up.....and on and on.... it is a never ending spiral of doom. good luck.

 

[OVERCOME]

Also how is the rank structure quizzed? Do they say, "what is an 0-5/e-4 in the Navy/Marine corps? etc... Do you answer with the name or do you desribe all the insignia as well?

QUOTE]
Diddo........ When asked, are we supposed to say.....Sir, an 0-5 in the United States Navy is a Commander. His insignia is a one silver oak leaf collar device, or three 1/2 inch gold stripes outboard of one gold five-pointed star on black shoulder boards, or three 1/2 inch gold stripes below one gold five-pointed star on service dress blue uniform sleeves. ............. Or do we just say Sir, an 0-5 in the United States Navy is a Commander........?????

 

[saltpeter]

OCS is test of how much poopie you'll put up with. If you do the big four perfectly, your shirts will not be ironed perfectly. If your shirt are ironed perfectly, you won't march perfectly. And on and on and on. There is always something, beacuse humans are not perfect. People try not to tell too much of OCS, because it will ruin the effect and honestly unless the candidate takes things personally and doesn't let it roll off his/her shoulder it will be easy.So the simple answer is, enjoy OCS, it's all good. I promise you won't be perfect at anything for 10 weeks.

 

[NeoCortex]

the Big 3 are Verbatium, the rest do not have to be. Disclamer: Some of the officers required everything to be verbatium, this was not sorrect and you can argue the poinst back.

 

[Sabre170]

There was one guy in my room during a RLP inspection, and the officer inspecting him took a point for missing a word. I also had inspections where the Class Chief Petty Officer inspecting my rank did not notice when he asked for the 3rd General Order and the Candidate gave the 4th.... So it all depends on who is inspecting you. I think the Officer's know the big 4 more than the Chiefs.

 

[navsup]

are these recited ballistic or regular voice?

 

[GeoffStahl]

Folks its all good. =)

My old timer experience... Know you big 4 word for word, as it is easy to hear and catch a single word mistake when someone has heard the correct thing over and over for weeks on end. You will screw up (even if you don't screw up, you will) and you will sweat, but all in all, sweat makes you learn faster so, again, it is all good.

BTW, think of it this way. This is all a big attention to detail exercise. You would not do that well if you can't remember all the items on a preflight or exactly the position of every switch prior to engine start. Same idea, details, you always have to get the details correct.

One more thing, you will from now on likely always be a pain in the butt to your friends and significant others as you will be the person who noticed every detail for the rest of your life (at least I am). I definitely thank the Naval Aviaition for that (though maybe that took years of flying to perfect, don't know).

My advice, learn it verbatim. Be comfortable with the information so you are not wasting time on it and you can nail that part of the inspection. AOCS, when I was there, was a huge exercise in too much to do and not enough time, thus the less you have to worry about the better.

Oh, did I mention, you WILL screw up. =)

good luck and God speed.